Display-fixture.



J. T. CLARK.

DISPLAY FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED r1113. 5, 1910.

984,797. I Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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DISPLAY FIXTURE. i APPLICATION FILED was, 1910 Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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.INVENT DR JANE s T. CLARK.

UNTTED STATES PATEN T UFFTQE.

DISPLAY-FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Application filed February 5, 1910. Serial No. 542,337.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. CLARK, of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in display fixtures for exhibiting clothes, garments or the like.

The main object of my invention is to provide a showcase having a movable garment support or carriage therein provided with means for moving said carriage, and means for automatically locking and releasing the support in such a manner that garments may be either stored or exhibited to the best advantage with a minimum amount of space and trouble.

The invention consists essentially of a suitable showcase having therein a movable support provided at the top with arms or bars upon which the garments are hung, said support being mounted upon a carriage adapted to be withdrawn from the showcase at will to display the goods. Means are further provided for releasably locking the support at any desired position for preventing the carriage from entering the showcase except when in the proper position, and for absolutely preventing any lateral motion of the carriage in its travel.

In the drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan View with the floor of the case broken away to show the mechanism beneath; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 89 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 10,11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line.

12.13 of Fig. 2, and shows the top latch. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the locking device. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the carriage wheel mountings.

In the above defined figures, 14 designates the framework of a showcase, 15 the glass top and sides, and 16 the floor of the case.

The case floor 16 is located some distance above the floor on which the device stands, and the space 17 between the building floor and the case floor is closed in by side and.

end boards 18. A suitable strong framework 19 is located in the space 17 and to this framework the tracks 20 and 21, carrying the. moving parts, are attached. The track 20 extends from the front to the back of the case at the center thereof and is atbeing just below the case floor 16 and being bent downwardly and attached to the framework 19 at each end. The tracks 20 and 21 1 are preferably formed of T-shaped iron, the ?arms being used for attaching flanges and the central web on which the carriage wheels run is beveled on the edge, as shown in the drawings.

The carriage comprises a central portion or hub 22, from which four arms 23 and 24 radiate at right angles to one another. Two of these arms, namely 23, carry grooved wheels 25 running on the track 20. The wheels 25 are journaled in bifurcated members 26 which are pivotally attached to the extremities of the arms 23 by pins 27, journaled loosely in the hearing. The two remaining arms, namely 24, carry similar grooved wheels 29, each wheel engaging one of the tracks 21 from below. The wheels 29 are journaled in bifurcated members 30, pivotally mounted at the extremities of the arms 24 on pins 31. A set screw 32 is provided in each arm 24 and bears against the end of the pin 31 to raise or lower the member 30 so that the wheel 29 will always be in contact with the track 21. A look nut 33 is provided for each set screw. To compensate for any wear or unevenness in the tracks 21, ith'e extremity of each arm 24 is recessed at 34 and a short helical spring 35 located in gthe recess. This spring is always in comipression between the bottom of the recess and the member 30, and will maintain the wheel 29 in engagement with the track 21 and prevent rattling. A pipe 36, of large diameter, is fixed to the hub 22 of the carriage and extends upwardly a suitable distance. A cap 37 is fixed to the top of the pipe and is provided with an upwardly extending reduced portion 38. A spider having a hub 39 and radial arms 40 adapted to support the garment racks 41, is revolubly mounted on the cap 37 by means of a depending flange 42 surrounding the reduced portion of the can. A plurality of washers 43 are provided between the bottom of the flange 42 and the cap to reduce the friction. A depending guard frame 44 is attached to each end of the garment rack 41 to prevent garments brushing against the case as the rack is revolved. A latch is provided for the spider to releasably lock the same for convenience in alinin the locking device. This latch consists 0 a pair of diametrically opposite depressions 45 formed in the flange 42 of the spider hub, and of a small round ended latch 46 slidably mounted in a recess 47 in the portion 38 of the cap 37 A small helical spring 48 is located in the recess 47 and operates to press the latch 46 outwardly. The depressions 45 are located in such relation to the latch that the latch will engage one or other of the depressions when the garment rack is parallel with the longer sides of the case. The curvature of the notches 45 and end of the latch 46 is such that the latch will be wedged out of the notches if any considerable force tends to rotate the rack.

To prevent the garment rack being turned when in the case in the position shown in Fig. 1, or being shoved back into the case when not parallel therewith, I provide a locking device comprising a rod 49 fixed to the hub 39 of the spider and extending downwardly through the center of the pipe 36. The rod passes through and is journaled in the cap 37 and carriage hub 22. A short tubular lock member 50 is fixed to the lower extremity of the rod 49 and lies partly in a recess 51 in the carriage hub 22 and partly below the hub. The exposed portion of the lock 50 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite vertical slots 52, in which the top edge of the track 20 lies, so thatthe lock projects below the top of the track on each side thereof. At a point on the track 20, a pair of vertical slots 53 are formed therein, the slots being of such width and distance apart that the portion of the lock lying below the top of the track may be readily revolved therein. It is obvious that when the carriage is in the position shown in Fig. 3, it will be impossible to revolve the garment rack as the track 20, which is rigid therewith, cannot turn on account of the track projecting into the slots 52 therein. When the carriage is pulled to its extreme forward position, the lock 50 exactly-registers with the slots 53 in the track 20 so that the garment rack may be turned, the portion of the lock 50 lying below the top of the track passing through the slots 53. It is equally obvious that when the garment rack is turned at any angle to the case, the lock 50 will engage the slots 53 in the track and prevent the carriage being shoved back into the case so that the garment rack would break the glass walls thereof. Thus the carriage cannot be shoved into the case until the rack is in proper position.

The latch above described alines and releasably locks the garment rack in position to prevent the locks catching on the track and to also prevent the lock rubbing on the sides of the track and causing a vibration or chatter.

A transverse slot 71 is formed in the case floor 16 in which the pipe 36 moves.

The operation of the device is simple. The entire weight of the carriage, garment rack and garments thereon rests on the track 20. The arms 24 of the carriage extend at right angles to this track and the wheels thereon engage under the tracks 21 and prevent rocking or tilting of the garment rack. The balance wheel 29 may be adjusted to take up all slack motion and prevent rattling. The long span between the running wheels 25 allows the carriage to move smoothly and easily. When the doors are opened and shoved back into the case, as shown at the right of Fig. 1. the carriage and garment rack are pulled forward. When the limit of forward movement is reached, the garment rack is automatically unlocked and may be revolved at will to display the garments thereon. When in any position other than parallel with the case, the device is locked in its forward position so that the garment rack cannot be shoved back to break the glass walls of the case. After the device is alined and moved slightly into the case, the garment rack is locked against revolution so that it cannot be accidentally turned so as to break the glass. The locking device is located on the same horizontal plane on which the carriage would fulcrum if slack enough to rock and therefore cannot get out of line.

It will be noted that all the tracks upon which the carriage runs are beveled or V- shaped, as indicated by the numeral 7 2, while the wheel treads are similarly beveled, as indicated at 73, to fit closely-on to the beveled portion of the tracks. In this manner, any lateral motion of the carriage will be prevented and any wear of the wheels or tracks will be taken up evenly to insure a close running'fit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a display fixture, the combination with a case having transparent sides and top, and a floor above the surface on which the case stands, of a transverse track located below the case floor having vertical slots therein, a carriage having a pair of arms provided. with wheels adapted to travel on said track, and a second pair of wheel bearinn arms at right angles to the first arms. a pair of tracks below the case floor parallel to the first track and located on a higher horizontal lane adapted to be engaged from below by the wheels of said second arms, a vertical column carried by the carriage, a garment rack pivotally mounted at the top of said column, a rod fixed to the garment rack and extending downwardly through the column, a tubular locking member fixed to said rod having a pair of diametrically opposite vertical slots in the lower end thereof for the reception of the lower track whereby the garment rack is locked against rotation except when the carriage is moved to bring the locking member into register, with the slots in the track, and a spring pressed pin adapted to aline the garment rack and locking member with respect to the lower track.

2. A device of the character described comprising the combination with a showcase, of three parallel tracks therein, a carriage having a pair of arms provided with wheels adapted to travel on the center of said tracks, and a second pair of arms at right angles to the first arms provided with the carriage, said track being provided with a slot positioned to release the locking member when the carriage reaches its forward position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. CLARK.

Witnesses:

STUART R. M. ALLEN. E. R. MCKENZIE. 

